Monday, 18 June 2012

Once upon a time, there was a girl named Nikhat- 100 FILM FACTS ABOUT ME

I never thought I'll be able to do this when I first saw Stevee Taylor's amazing list. But little by little, inspired other such lists by Tyler, Lesya, Sati, asrap virtuoso, Alex and finally Ruth, I have made my list. It's a bit rambly, but I guess one expects that from me now. I had hoped that these little facts and anecdotes about me would have been revealed to the world at large when I get famous and was invited onto a lot of talk shows, but meh, I like talking about me on my blog. Here are 100 film facts about me.

1) Even though my original introduction to films has been through Bollywood, I realise now that I don't usually watch Bollywood films with the same care and attention to detail like how I watch other films. I would like to change that.

2) Not just Bollywood, but my knowledge of Indian films in general is pretty deplorable. Despite being from Calcutta, I have never seen a Satyajit Ray film in my life. But that's because I am adamant that I will watch them on a big screen only, and not on my laptop.

3) My favourite actor in fact is Shah Rukh Khan, though he is a bigger star (often called the King of Bollywood) than an actor. But when he acts, he is pretty amazing.

4) My Hollywood equivalent of SRK is Johnny Depp of course, but in his case, it is all about the acting. I am sure of this now because it was only very recently that I noticed how good-looking he is.

5) To put that into perspective, you must know that I have watched, and will probably continue to watch, a lot of crappy movies because I find someone attractive in it.

6) I mean, Pearly Harbour used to be one of my most favourite movies when I was younger, because I was so in love with Josh Hartnett and his looks (mini-me was an idiot).

7) My first Depp film was Edward Scissorhands, though I didn't know who he was back then. I loved him still.

8) My first Depp film in which I knew who he was was Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl. I actually screamed when Barbossa stabbed him. I was never the same.

9) I didn't know who Brad Pitt was until Troy. After that, for quite a while, he was "that blonde man... in a metal skirt".

10) Adrien Brody in The Pianist is my favourite male performance of all time.

12) I once got into shit with my parents for watching The Pianist the day before an English exam. In the exam, they asked us to review a film. I reviewed The Pianist.

13) I have explained Politics using Mean Girls, natural selection using Happy Feet, Economics using Confession of a Shopaholic and given an impromptu lecture on the environment using Avatar.

14) I like Avatar more than I like The Hurt Locker, but nothing beats Inglourious Basterds for me in that year (2009).

15) I like mainstream, indie and foreign movies equally. They just have to be good.

16) Having said that, I do not like westerns as a genre. I get v. bored.

17) It's not that I don't like long movies, but I am a pretty impatient and easily-distracted person, and if a film is long, it has to keep me interested every friggin' second.

18) A brilliant example would be The Seven Samurai.

19) I don't like watching two similar movies one after another. Therefore my double/triple/occasionally quadruple and even quintuple features are always a mixed bag.

20) The first thing I did when I turned 16 was watch Pulp Fiction, for the first time.

21) The first thing I said when I turned 17 was, "Now I'll never get to be Juno."

22) I saw Avatar in IMAX on my 18th birthday because my parents had not watched it. They loved it.

23) I can't decide which is the funniest film that I have seen, but the funniest quote ever is "No fighting in the War Room!" Tears of laughter everytime.

24) The sexiest film that I have seen is Sex, Lies and Videotape *fans herself*.

25) When I was little, I used to think that Indiana Jones was some sort of a political movie. This is even before I knew Indiana was a place, and based my theory on the "India" part of the name.26) The earliest, almost full-formed memory of me watching a film in a theatre is when I saw Titanic, when I was about 5. I say almost because I may have over-glorified it in my mind as I remember huge crowds and red curtains etc. But then again, it was massive here so my memory of it might not be that far off from the truth.27) Even though now I think that Leo Di Caprio was at his Adonis-best in Romeo + Juliet, his Jack Dawson in Titanic was my first love and will always remain so.28) Titanic too was responsible for my starting v.v.v. early obsession with redheads.29) If I could look like any character in any film, I would look like Emily Blunt in The Devil Wears Prada.30) No screw that- I want to look like EVERYONE in The Devil Wears Prada, and own their wardrobes too! That's all.

31) I can get really excited after watching films, but I guess I was the most motivated after I saw Dead Poets Society for the first time. Tried to start one in my school. Failed miserably :/32) I also tried and almost succeeded in starting a Film Club in my school. Originally, I was going to inaugurate it with Land Gold Women, which was made by an ex-alumni and for which she had won the National Award, but when that didn't work out, I was going to show Pan's Labyrinth because I felt it had something for everyone.33) I have come to accept that I have quite an analytical mind, due to which films that abandon basic form and structure and concepts frustrate me. Like Certified Copy.34) Also weird stuff like Mulholland Drive and The Naked Lunch, though I like them a little better now.35) Also because of this, I really like clever movies and especially movies where all the clues and twists and whatnot get tied up in a nice little bow at the end. That is why I really enjoy films made by Christopher Nolan.36) One of my worse cinema experiences was when I went to see The Dark Knight. The hall was shit and I couldn't hear a word being said and then my father kept mocking it. Gahhh!37) One of my best cinema experiences was when I saw The Social Network. Okay story time- the day it released, I woke up with a swollen eye for whatever reason. I went to school wearing my giant bug-eyed sunglasses and got permission to come home early, after which I went to watch it with my little brother. Apart from us there were a bunch of annoying kids in the row behind us and a couple. I saw the whole film with a crazy grin plastered across my face, except in the 0.03% scene of course, and when it ended I noticed that my brother and I were the only people in the hall. Apparently the kids were caught filming and were banished from the place and a lot of other shit went down, and I knew nothing of it even though they were JUST BEHIND us. Ah, cinematic bliss :D38) The day the 83rd Academy Awards took place was also the day the most important examinations of my school career started and I am not exaggerating when I say that I prayed for The Social Network as much as I had prayed for marks...39) ... And I consider Brian the brain from The Breakfast Club to be my alter ego, so you can imagine.40) As much as I hate the Oscars for TSN and ignoring Harry Potter, I will always watch them and will always want one.

41) The Harry Potter films were hugely responsible for making me the film fanatic I am today, and if I do ever win any award, I will always thank them.42) Also, I find it really sad that Brian the brain is the only member of The Breakfast Club who doesn't get anyone. The only flaw in that film for me.43) As much as I love Audrey Hepburn, I think my favourite classic actress is Bette Davis. Quoting All About Eve, "What a body. What a voice."44) Still, Vivien Leigh's performance in A Streetcar Named Desire just blows my mind.45) My favourite character and performance in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is Honey, played by Sandy Dennis.46) For a very long time I refused to believe that Pierce Brosnan's name was Pierce Brosnan. He was James Bond, of course.47) I love villains and anti-heroes. My favourite villains are Norman Bates and Hannibal Lecter and my favourite anti-heroes are Alex DeLarge and Travis Bickle.48) When I get scared in a movie, and it doesn't need to be a horror movie, I hit the pause button a lot and then try to calm myself down.49) In this respect, No Country for Old Men is the scariest film that I have ever seen. Bloody Anton Chigurh- why couldn't he just die!50) I paused a lot in Funny Games (2007) too, but then giggled uncontrollably every time Michael Pitt broke the fourth wall and spoke to um... me. It was a bit sickening.

51) My favourite movie kiss is between Amélie and Nino in Amélie, followed closely by Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant in Notorious.52) I am not much of a scores person, but I can live on "Yumeji's Theme" from In the Mood for Love, "Married Life" from Up, "Hours" from The Hours, "Medieval Waters" from In Bruges, "Comptine d'un autre été" from Amélie and "A Familiar Taste" from The Social Network.53) I am, however, a soundtrack person and my favourite soundtracks are from Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist and Marie Antoinette.54) I absolutely love the part The Strokes start playing in Marie Antoinette.55) Across the Universe officially started my Beatlemania, and I do think some of the songs from it are better than the original versions. Like "I Want to Hold Your Hand".56) Speaking of, my favourite scene in The Boat that Rocked is not one from the movie, but a cut-out scene instead in which Philip Seymour Hoffman pays homage to the Fab Four- "The glories of our age, the bringers of joy, for our and future generations. Because there will always be poverty and pain and war and injustice in this world but there will, thank the lord, also always be The Beatles."57) My formal introduction to "Sounds of Silence" was not in The Graduate but in Watchmen.58) I don't need depressing movies to get depressed. I have gotten really sad after watching (500) Days of Summer, Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging and most recently, This Means War.59) I do tend to rewatch happy movies a lot more than sad ones, because movies do affect me quite a bit.60) Which is why Michael Cera is one of my most favourite leading men as his films make me very happy.

61) The oddest film, I feel, that affected me personally was In Bruges, not because I kill priests and children and midgets, but because at the time I was at a place that was a fairytale come true for everyone but me,62) The first film that I cried in was Stuart Little, when Snowbell tells Stuart that the Littles never loved him.63) The film that I have cried the most in was Never Let Me Go. I would watch it again, but I live with people now and they will get scared if they see me in such a state.64) I still cry everytime I watch Titanic, even though I have seen it more than 30 times. Oddly, I never cried the first time. Now, I need one year gaps between two viewings.65) Basically, I cry a lot in movies.66) The worst film I have cried in was The Notebook. I didn't even want to cry. It was Nicholas Sparks's evil plan to wrench the tears out of me because he needs to live on people's misplaced pity. Gahh.67) The only thing that was good about The Notebook was Ryan Gosling's flawless jawline *sigh*.68) The first time I saw Ryan Gosling was in Murder by Numbers and I have been attracted to him ever since he tries to sexually harass Sandra Bullock in it. And yes, I do know that I have a problem.69) Since I don't do sports and cannot fathom the need for them, I can never truly like sports movies. My favourite Hollywood sports movie is actually Wimbledon because despite having been explained the rules of tennis a million times, I still don't get them and as a result I always get excited for the ending,70) My favourite sports movie ever is Lagaan. And I fucking hate cricket!

71) My favourite trailers of all time are Blue Valentine, The Social Network, Black Swan, Inglourious Basterds and the teaser for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.72) It pains me that Bill Murray did not win the Oscar for his brilliantly subtle performance in Lost in Translation.73) My favourite film maker of all time is Woody Allen because his films really speak to me.74) I have a quote that I made up to show their impact on me: what came first- Woody Allen or the neuroses? I think it is rather clever.75) I have noticed that when I really like a filmmaker's work, I end up fancying the filmmaker. Example- Quentin Tarantino, Edgar Wright, Sofia Coppola, Roman Polanski, Wes Anderson, and of course my ultimate dreamboat, David Fincher. Hell, I would fancy Woody if I were 15-20 years older.76) The first time I saw Fight Club, it was because it was coming on the tv and I was bored. I connected to it when the Narrator says "This is your life and it's ending one minute at a time" because I was going through like a paranoid phase at the time. When the Jack vs Jack scene happened, I knew I was in for something extraordinary.77) Btw, the Jack vs Jack scene is one of my most favourite scenes ever. I still don't know how the hell did they do it.78) For me Fight Club will always be, first and foremost, a romance between the Narrator and Marla.79) My favourite part of Fight Club is not any scene or performance, but the fact that there is a single frame of pornography spliced in towards the end of the film and it is too fast for all these censor boards to cut out. David Fincher IS Tyler Durden.80) The closest I have come to meeting a celebrity is when a B-list Bollywood actress was eating ice cream across me, years ago, when I had gone to watch Stepmom at a theatre. I was still too flabbergasted! I'll probably melt if/when I meet Depp and Gosling.

81) After watching Madonna's "Girl Gone Wild" video, I am determined that if I do ever make films, I will make one in which I will shamelessly objectify men.82) Unlike most Indians I know, I really like the remake of Devdas because it is so extravagant and beautiful. Except for one scene: when Devdas, played by SRK, sees the grown-up Parrow, played by Aishwarya Rai, for the first time and she is in full make-up and sleeping under the moonlight in this courtyard or something- NO ONE DOES THAT! EVER!! Makes my blood boil, that part.83) The two times that I have seen Fargo, I went around saying "yeah" like Frances McDormand's character for weeks after that.84) After I saw The Princess Bride, I said "My name is Inigo Montaya. You killed my father. Prepare to die." to nearly everyone I met. And I was in my teens.85) The film quote that my life follows most closely, through no fault or will of my own, is one from Fight Club- "Losing all hope was freedom."86) The film quote I use the most of course is "Boo you whore" from Mean Girls. Like I can never say or write or type "Boo" without following it with "you whore". However discreetly.87) When I was younger, I could recite all of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. I can still say most of it, but not that well.88) I saw Godfather 2 and Scarface one after the other and I still get muddled up about certain elements between the two.89) With the exception of Harry Potter of course, the films I would like to live in the most are Marie Antoinette and Rushmore. Go Jason Schwartzman!90) If I could choose any actor at any point in their career to be with, I would choose Harrison Ford in the late 70s, early 80s. FUCK YEAH!

91) I really really really love Ewan McGregor.92) Chicago is one of my most favourite musicals because I love the music and also the fact that in it, the good get punished and the wicked put on a show.93) The true villain of Wizard of Oz was Glinda. I really hate her.94) I love it whenever Calcutta gets mentioned in movies. They always have such weird and well, foreign ideas about it.95) My favourite literary hero is Mr. Darcy. Sadly no adaptation that I have seen of Pride and Prejudice has done him proper justice. In fact the closest thing to him was when Colin Firth played Mark Darcy in Bridget Jones's Diary.96) My favourite song in a movie is "A Waltz for a Night" in Before Sunset.97) I will kill to see a Gilmore Girls movie. Please make it happen.98) I love it when people ask me for recommendations or whether or not a film is good. I usually recommend films according to what I know of their taste. And Scott Pilgrim vs The World.99) No matter what I do with my life, it will definitely have something to do with films. It can be writing or directing or owning a small independent cinema or being employed in a DVD store or working in the cafeterias of Pixar or dressing up as a character in an amusement park or whatever. This is it for me.100) If I had to die watching a film, I would die watching Casablanca.

20 comments:

You tried to get people to stand on their desks in school like in DPS? :D THAT IS AWESOME! Pity it didn't work :( I think that Amelie and Nino kiss might be my favourite too :)In one way, it's kiiiinda a good thing you weren't *exactly* like Juno, haha. she's a pretty awesome person all round though :PLove, love, love the list! :D

Technically, Satyajit Ray isn't Bollywood you know ?? I have only seen Apu trilogy myself but I LOVED it and I am sure it will be great to see it on big screen.SRK?? You too?? though I do agree that when he does act, he is good(Baazigar, DDLJ, Chak De, Swades and even Devdas). You see I even included Devdas. I liked it until I saw Bimal Da's original. I still think all 3 leads are pretty good in it but everyone else is sooo loud - especially Kiran Kher and Jaya Bhatkar, Unbearable.And you know my Audrey Hepburn and Grant-Bergman obsession.Love Yumeji's Theme(I literally made everyone listen for almost a week), Love Anton Chigurh(What's the most you have lost in a Coin Toss ? is the craziest thing I have heard someone say.)Nice List !! I did enjoy it quite a bit !! :)

I really really really love Ewan McGregor. He seems so perfect.My favourite trailers are the ones for Blue Valentine, The Social Network, Black Swan and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, too. They're on my iPod and I always watch them for inspiration.Plus, Vivien Leigh's performance in A Streetcar Named Desire blows my mind, too. She was so amazing in that movie, even though it practically destroyed her (what a fascinating woman she was)

Haha, I like that you said you don't like long movies but then say you like Titanic, Avatar, and Bollywood mvoies which are all... long! But when a films interesting enough, we'll always make an exception.

Dead Poets Society always inspires me when I watch it. Carpe Diem!

Darn! It was you during in the front row when I was caught recording The Social Network? :p

Terrific list and beautifully written too! "11) Michelle Pfeiffer in Batman Returns is my favourite female performance of all time." YES!!! She is so fantastic there. Love the fact you like Bette Davis too, such a brilliant actress. Kate Winslet was such a gorgeous redhead in Titanic, I don't think she ever looked more beautiful than there. And when I saw The Devil Wears Prada I actually dyed my hair the exact same color Blunt had in the movie.

Oh man, I love these lists- if I will get the time and determination to write one, I will definitely do it5. I do that, too9.LOL11. A force of nature13. That's cool21. You're hilarious41. HP <344. Ditto52. I love Comptine d'un autre ete, I used to have a friend who could play it and I would always ask him to do it58. You got depressed after Angus, thongs and a perfect snogging? but it ended so nicely :)65. I've been crying to movies lately a lot, I don't know why69. Oh, Wimbledon, I love it! Paul Bettany <383. :)) her Yeah is legendary92. Chicago is one of my favorite musicals, too

5. Everyone does. They just lie :P9. It's true, and sad.11. Agreed.13. Thanks :D21. Hahaha thanks!!41. Yesss forever.44. Mhmm.52. Wow. I wish I could play it.58. Well she was 14 and I was nearly 18 when I saw it and yeah I got depressed.65. Well generally only really good movies makes one cry, so maybe that's a good thing :)69. I know right!83. Yes it is.92. It's so much fun!!

#16/17- Oh well, hopefully mine will change too.#32- Hahaha! Yes definitely. Though I'll probably be the last person starting it.#47- Yess!#79- He really is.#83- YEAH.#84- It is such a brilliant line. Had to be done.#99- yep.